MOZAMBIQUE - GOVERNANCE, ECONOMICS, DEVELOPMENT AND JUSTICE Former RENAMO guerrillas held by the PRM in Zambezia Nineteen former RENAMO guerrillas properly identified by the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), in Zambezia, were arrested on 4th December, in Mocuba, suspected of being involved in the preparation of violent demonstrations in protest against alleged fraud in the general and provincial elections of 28th October. A source at the Ministry of Interior, said yesterday that the detainees were from the province of Sofala. PRM concluded that they were former RENAMO guerrillas who were waging a trip to Nampula, for a mission not clearly revealed. (http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/930672) Election petitions: RENAMO denies verdict of Constitutional Council RENAMO challenges the decision of the Constitutional Council of disapproving its application for annulment of electoral results. According to that party, the verdict of the Constitutional Council has no legal basis. For the representative of RENAMO, Saimone Macuiana, the document submitted to the National Electoral Commission (CNE) and later referred to the Constitutional Council presents evidence of fraud that should be taken into account. (http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/930682) Opposition parties join RENAMO and require GNU The opposition parties will meet to RENAMO to participate in the demonstrations in protest against the decision 75/CC/2009 of 10th November, which makes public the electoral results. To this end, these parties yesterday held a meeting aiming to propose ways that the demonstration could be taken, to evaluate the electoral disputes, the multiparty democracy in Mozambique and the exclusion that they experienced in the last elections. The meeting presented a paper which officially names the opposition block as Territorial Platform for Political Parties. The parties intend to call for new elections and the establishment of a Government of National Unity (GNU), under monitoring of the United Nations (UN). (O Pais. 8th December, 2009). Youth Parliament discusses monitoring of the Government The Youth Parliament will discuss the monitoring of the elected government in the issues related to the youth affairs, from tomorrow. The meeting will be characterized by debates in the form of national conversation, where the youth will analyze the strategy of the elected government for 2010. Salomão Muchanga, president of the organization, pointed out the problems of housing, employment and education as major problems. (O Pais. 8th December, 2009) Unity Bridge is ready The construction of the bridge over the Rovuma River, connecting Mozambique and Tanzania has been practically completed, and will be inaugurated soon. Work on its construction began in November 2005 with an initial term of three years. The budget was around 25 million U.S. dollars, disbursed by the governments of the two neighboring countries. (http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/930710). Minister acknowledges guilt for the bad quality of roads The Minister of Public Works, Felicio Zacarias, acknowledged yesterday in Maputo, the his Ministry’s guilty for poor quality of roads in the country, which he said resulted from the lack of proper maintenance and lack of oversight by the state. One example of this situation is the section of National Highway between Inchope (Manica province) to Caia (Sofala), Central Region, rehabilitated for less than six years but now degraded. (http://www.rm.co.mz/) 50 million dollars available for road maintenance According to the Chairman of the Road Fund, Francisco Pereira, his institution already has 50 million dollars to fund programs for maintenance of roads in the country next year. This amount is derived from its own revenues resulting from the collection of the roads on the price of fuel. This fund will be used to fund maintenance works of about 18 thousand kilometers of roads in the country, especially those that are cyclically affected by the floods. (http://www.rm.co.mz/). Maputo: Three prisoners escape from BO Three prisoners escaped Wednesday from the maximum-security jail, aka BO, in Machava, Maputo province. This is Felix Juliao Parruque (Santana), Walter Miracle Kett (Tchuma) and Jorge Martins Cuna, who had prison sentences ranging from 14 to 21 years imprisonment. Three officers who supervised the prison at the time of avoidance were arrested yesterday in connection with the escape. (http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/930721) Nacala-Porto: Police with poor performance The Vice Minister of Interior, Jose Mandra, said to be concerned with the poor performance that exists in the command of the police of Nacala-Porto, considered one of the areas with high crime rates in the province of Nampula. Mandra made his statements last week in the city of Nampula. According to that Minister it is imperative that the police do not sleep or show apathy in carrying out its functions. (http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/pls/notimz2/getxml/pt/contentx/930266)